Hello to my wonderful readers! Here's the next installment of Chloe/Kai.


Chapter 3: Like a Kitten

When Chloe woke up several hours later, she kept her eyes shut tight. Maybe when she opened them, she would be lying in her own bed and everything would be back to normal. Brian would still be alive, and Jasmine would be fine. Her pillow was lumpier than usual, and her sheets scratchier. The room smelled like must and guy's deodorant. She was definitely not at her mother's house. Suddenly she became very aware of the body lying next to her.

"Kai?" she whispered as she lifted her lashes.

"You're awake," he said. He smiled.

"Were you watching me sleep?"

The smile faded from his face. He hadn't had a lot of interaction with girls, and Jackal girls weren't anything like Chloe.

"Umm, not for very long," he confessed. "You just looked so—so peaceful. Like a kitten."

A small laugh escaped her lips.

"Thanks for letting me stay here," she told him for what felt like the hundredth time, "but I should probably get going."

Kai frowned.

"What?" she asked.

He held up a handful of brand new DVDs.

"I picked these up while I was out," he explained. "I thought we could order a pizza and watch some movies."

A smile lit up Chloe's face, and Kai's immediately mirrored hers.

"I don't know if the movies are any good," he admitted. "I don't really watch a lot of movies, but these ones looked popular."

"That's really sweet," she said softly. "It's one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me."

That's how she found herself lying in bed with a Jackal, their faces only inches apart. She bit her lip as he slid his hand onto her waist and pulled her closer.

"Wait," she stopped him. She could barely speak let alone breathe. "The curse."

Chloe had already killed one innocent boy in the last twenty-four hours. She wasn't going to risk killing another.

Kai furrowed his brow.

"Mai can't kiss humans," she said slowly. "It's deadly."

"I'm not human," was all he answered.

"I'm not going to risk it your life."

"I thought we'd been over this today, Chloe. You put your life in danger for me, and I am more than willing to do the same for me."

"This is different Kai," she pouted, pushing him away. "If you die, I have nothing left."

He pulled her back into his arms and pressed his lips into her hair.

"If that's how you feel, Chloe, then don't worry. I'll call for pizza."

"Wait," she said before he could get up. "This is nice. Can we just lie here for a few more minutes?"

"For as long as you want," he answered.

The minutes passed, and pretty soon the sky grew dark outside.

"Okay," Chloe finally said. "I think I'm ready for pizza."

"Is meat lover's okay?"

"Sounds amazing."

The pizza was as amazing as Chloe thought it would be, but the first movie they put in was cheesier than the pizza. For the few amounts of movies he had watched, even Kai knew it was bad. They spent the whole time pointing out bad sound effects and obvious green screens. By the time they got to the second movie, Kai had his arm wrapped decidedly around Chloe. It was a romantic comedy.

Every time the happy couple kissed, Chloe couldn't help but think about kissing Kai. How could she have moved on from Brian so quickly? It had only been hours since he told her he loved her, and she watched him die. The guilt rose up in the pit of her stomach, and she worried she was going to be sick again. All the muscles in her body tightened.

Kai paused the movie.

"You're not happy," he stated.

"I killed one of my best friends," she replied. "I killed the boy I was in love with."

It hurt Kai to hear it, but he understood.

"It's not your fault," he tried to convince her. "You did everything you could to save him, but he kissed you."

"He's still dead because of me. And what did I do? I ran away instead of facing the consequences. I should have called his dad. I should have…"

"You should have gone to your pride leader," he informed her, "which is exactly what you did."

He was right; she had gone to Valentina. She had found Valentina dead.

"We have to get out of Oakland," she told him. "I have to go. Tonight."

It was that simple. Chloe grabbed her bag and Kai grabbed his. He pulled a beanie over his hair and pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt. He told Chloe to do the same. In less than twenty minutes, they were out the door and back on BART.

"Two tickets for," Kai told the man at the ticket counter. Then he turned to Chloe. "North or south?"

Chloe had no idea.

"North," she finally decided.

"When does the next bus north leave?" Kai asked the man.

"Are you running from the cops? You look a little young to be at a Greyhound station in the middle of the night," the ticket agent told them.

"It's my dad," Chloe lied. After all, thinking her dad had been alive had been a lie this whole time. "He's sick, and I have to get to the hospital to see him. My aunt said she'd pick us up at the Greyhound station."

"In what town?" the agent asked again.

Chloe didn't know.

"Sacramento," Kai answered for her. "We just need to get north as fast as possible."

"The next bus for Sacramento leaves at 1:30."

Kai paid for the tickets and led Chloe over to a row of empty seats. She dug into her purse to repay him.

"Keep your money," he told her.

"I don't understand where you're getting all this cash from."

"Odd jobs around Oakland. Like I said, I can take care of myself."

He put his arm back around her even though the plastic arm rest between them dug into his side.

"We can't stay in Sacramento long," he declared. "The Mai have San Francisco. The Jackals have Sacramento. The place will be swarming with them. They'll smell you the moment we get in. But don't worry, I won't let them anywhere near you."


Well I was only intending for it to be 3 chapters, but I can't stop writing. More soonsies. I promise.